Attempt at Banner Peak, Eastern Sierra Nevada

I have developed a good case of "Peak Fever" this season. I would like to plan on hiking some of the NE peaks such as Banner, Ritter, Gibbs, etc., but I don't have any real info on them, such as which ones are hikeable and which ones require gear. I would love to hear about some of the peaks mentioned, or any of the others in the general area!

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Bee
I would like to plan on hiking some of the NE peaks such as Banner, Ritter, Gibbs, etc., but I don't have any real info on them, such as which ones are hikeable and which ones require gear.

Queenie and Taz,
Go to:
http://www.summitpost.org/
You can do an advanced search in the "Routes" section. However, the site search engine is a bit flaky because it is very specific and you are likely to get different results for, say, Gibbs, Mount Gibbs, and Mt. Gibbs. The "Mountains" section also usually contains some information on routes.
The Beak/Marmot Consortium

Thanks for the tip, BEAKs!!

It is interesting that I read conflicting reports on whether Lyell is considered a class 3 OR 4.

In the Lewis W. Clark book (an oldie) he has a wonderful section on mountaineering in Yosemite towards the back of the book. His description of Dana goes something like "one only has to be in moderately good shape to do this easy hike...". A walk in the park!



(and TAZ)

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Bee
It is interesting that I read conflicting reports on whether Lyell is considered a class 3 OR 4.

Rating a route involves a degree of subjectivity:
http://www.climber.org/data/decimal.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2009 06:29AM by szalkowski.

I'm planning on hitting Gibbs and Conness this summer, and I've looked into these. Gibbs is a rubble pile...an easy class 1 walk-up. Conness supposedly has some interesting sections, including the scramble above Alpine Lake to the ridge, and the summit block itself has a few sphincter-clenching drop-offs, and a scramble. But I'll find out this summer.

BTW, Mt. Lewis is another one on the agenda, supposed to have some of the best views in the area. I was considernig doubling it up with Gibbs, but that might be a bit too much for one day. Backpacking on the other hand...very doable, camp at Sardine Lakes.

sphincter-clenching drop-off:

http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/mrcondron/Decending+the+peak+of+Conness.JPG.html

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Old Dude



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2009 12:22PM by mrcondron.

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mrcondron
sphincter-clenching drop-off

Needs a Chick-on in the photo so we can get a sense of scale.

So what am I? Chopped liver?

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
So what am I? Chopped liver?

Depends on the fall.

That would make cheese grated liver.

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Old Dude

So Mr. Eeek how does one get a photo in the "Share Your Photos" to come up in the post?

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
So Mr. Eeek how does one get a photo in the "Share Your Photos" to come up in the post?

Did you read the PM I sent you about that?

The one in Microsoft Greek?

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
The one in Microsoft Greek?

Microsoft? I don't do windoze, dammit!

OK all seriousness aside, I have a mac so how do I get a picture from the Yosemite albums to a post? I have no "Right Click"

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
So what am I? Chopped liver?

Chopped Liver -- pate` at the least!!

Which of the mentioned routes did you take to Conness?

I've never done it but someone I used to know wanted to try walking up to the ridge from Young Lakes. Then you just follow the ridge to the top of Mt. Conness.

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eeek
I've never done it but someone I used to know wanted to try walking up to the ridge from Young Lakes. Then you just follow the ridge to the top of Mt. Conness.

Here is a link to that route:
http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.php?object_id=156204&context_id=150473

Somewhere in another route link I came across a topo that showed the recommended approach to the S ridge from this direction: keep to the W side of the unnamed lake (and the fall line that leads down into it) that is NE of Young Lakes and WNW of White Mountain.

From Wikipedia:

The easiest ascent is via the ridge extending west from the peak; there is a steep section of loose, unstable rocks, leading to the gentle ridge that forms the top of the mountain.

I suspect it's a lot like Mount Dana.

Conness Route from Young Lakes:


clicky here and use the zoomy icon for closer look
http://picasaweb.google.com/dale.dekeyser/MoMaps#5354682349478129522

The dots are GPS tracks... I went to the E edge cause I had time on the way up...

wants to add this to his bag..

All of the other peaks on the list have class 2 or 3 routes.
I wouldn't bother with Gibbs or Lewis until you fried some of the other fish.